1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to tools used in construction of reinforced concrete structures, and in particular, to tools for tying together the reinforcing bars (hereinafter, “re-bars”) used within reinforced concrete structures.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
When constructing structures that employ reinforced concrete, the steel re-bars within the reinforced concrete are typically tied together with binding wires, prior to pouring concrete into the forms, so as to stabilize the position of the re-bars within the reinforced concrete structure during the pouring process, and the ends of the binding wires, after being looped around the re-bars, are typically twisted together so as to retain the binding wire around the re-bars. Because the process of tying re-bars with binding wire is very labor intensive, it is known to use powered mechanical apparatus to do this binding of the re-bars with binding wire, often with the binding wire being continuously fed from a spool and then cut to a desired length, usually prior to twisting the ends of the binding wire. Prior art re-bar tying apparatus are complex with a large number of moving parts that can reduce the reliability of such re-bar tying apparatus.
It is therefore desirable to have a powered re-bar wire tying apparatus that quickly and efficiently encircles two or more re-bars with a length of binding wire and then twists the ends of the binding wire to bind the re-bars together. It is further desirable to provide a powered re-bar wire tying apparatus that is simpler than heretofore provided by the prior art.
Nishikawa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,342 (issued Jun. 13, 1978), discloses a pneumatic binder for lacing together a bundle of electrical wires.
Furlong et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,192 (issued Dec. 7, 1982), discloses a powered tool having a movable pair of jaws in which the binding wire is fed within loop-forming grooves in the jaws.
Kusakari, U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,336 (issued Jan. 18, 1994), discloses a wire binder for binding reinforcing bars in which binding wire is supplied from a spool and a wire-twisting motor twists the ends of the binding wire.
Hanagasaki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,887 (issued May 14, 1996), discloses a wire reel used in a reinforcing bar binding machine.
Miyazaki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,134 (issued Sep. 24, 1996), discloses a binding wire guide mechanism used in a reinforcing bar tying apparatus, which guides binding wire into a wire loop around reinforcing bars.
Murayama et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,613 (issued Oct. 21, 1997), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine with movable jaws that guide fed wire into a loop shape and then twists the ends of the wire and cuts the wire.
Kusakari, U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,983 (issued Dec. 9, 1997), discloses a reinforcing bar tying apparatus that has movable jaws. Wire is fed from the apparatus, curled around the reinforcing bar, twisted, and cut.
Ishii, U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,404 (issued Nov. 3, 1998), discloses a method of preventing wire from being twisted off in a reinforcing bar tying apparatus, in which a motor torque is electrically monitored and the twisting operation is ended when the motor torque reaches a peak.
Murayama et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,036 (issued Feb. 16, 1999), discloses a reinforcement bar binding apparatus having movable jaws in which wire is fed to a guide that loops the wire around reinforcing bars and twists the wire.
Ishii, U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,816 (issued Feb. 23, 1999), discloses a reinforcing bar tying apparatus that feeds wire, loops the wire around reinforcing bars, twists the wire, and cuts the wire, and which stops the twisting when the torque does not increase after a predetermined time from starting the twisting operation.
Kusakari, U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,989 (issued Sep. 28, 1999), discloses a wire twisting device for use in a reinforcement bar binding machine.
Ishikawa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,766 (issued Jun. 11, 2002), discloses a reinforcing bar tying apparatus that adjusts to accommodate the diameter of the loop of the binding wire, and has a movable jaw.
Ehara, U.S. Pat. No. 6,714,399 (issued Mar. 30, 2004), discloses a method of controlling a solenoid actuator by monitoring the drive current of the solenoid drive.
Kusakari et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,650 (issued May 30, 2006), discloses a stranding wire twisting device for a reinforcement bar binding machine, in which a twisting shaft with hooks engages a wire loop of binding wire.
Yokochi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,400 (issued Nov. 28, 2006), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine with a binding wire feeding mechanism having a drive sheave and a driven sheave with V-grooves therearound.
Ishikawa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,792 (issued Dec. 5, 2006), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine having spaced jaws and a twisting mechanism that grabs the ends of the binding wire and then moves rearward with the grabbed wire.
Ishikawa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,135 (issued Aug. 14, 2007), discloses a reinforcing bar tying machine with movable jaws and rearward-moving clamp plates that grab the ends of the binding wire.
Ishii et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,275,567 (issued Oct. 2, 2007), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine that feds binding wire and then clamps the end of the binding wire and pulls back while twisting the wire.
Kusakari et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,353,846 (issued Apr. 8, 2008), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine with a cooling fan for cooling the twisting motor.
Kusakari et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,800 (issued Jul. 15, 2008), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine that has a warm-up cycle for use in a cold environment.
Itagaki, U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,417 (issued Nov. 11, 2008), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine that allows setting of the number of turns by which the binding wire is twisted.
Hattori, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 403,937 (issued Jan. 12, 1999), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine with a battery pack for powering an electric motor of the binding machine.
Kusakari, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 409,476 (issued May 11, 1999), discloses a wire bobbin or spool that can be used by a reinforcing bar binding machine.
Hattori, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 481,602 (issued Nov. 4, 2003), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine having a wire spool and a battery pack for powering an electric motor of the binding machine.
Kusakari, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 489,399 (issued May 4, 2004), discloses a wire bobbin or spool that can be used by a reinforcing bar binding machine.
Nagaoka et al., U.S. Pat. No. Des. 527,041 (issued Aug. 22, 2006), discloses a wire bobbin or spool that can be used by a reinforcing bar binding machine.
Hattori, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 619,437 (issued Jul. 13, 2010), discloses a reinforcing bar binding machine having a wire spool and a battery pack for powering an electric motor of the binding machine.
None of these references, either singly or in combination, discloses or suggests the present invention.